Free tool
LLC formation timeline planner
Last updated: July 2026
Pick your state and when you need to be open for business. This planner works back through every step — name check, Articles of Organization, state processing, EIN, operating agreement, and bank account — to show a realistic schedule and whether your target date is achievable.
Realistic "open for business" date
—
| Step | Typical time | Target date |
|---|---|---|
| Name check | Instant | — |
| File Articles of Organization | Same day (submit) | — |
| State processing / approval | — | — |
| EIN from the IRS | — | — |
| Operating agreement | Same day | — |
| Business bank account | 1–3 business days | — |
Estimates only, based on typical 2026 online-filing turnaround. Actual state processing varies with volume, filing method, and expedite options, and can change without notice — treat these dates as planning guidance, not a guarantee. "Business days" skip weekends; holidays are not modeled.
One flat price, a real person on every filing.
$99 flat plus your state's fee. Live in Wyoming ($199 all-in), Florida ($224), and Delaware ($209).
Start your LLCState processing times at a glance (2026)
State approval of your Articles of Organization is the single most variable block in any formation timeline — everything after it is fast and predictable. Rough current turnaround for common online filings:
| State | Processing / approval | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | Instant–2 business days (online) | — |
| Delaware | ~10 business days (standard) | Same-day / 24-hr available for a paid state expedite fee (24-hr ~$50–100; same-day ~$100–200) |
| California | ~1 business day (currently fast) | — |
| Florida | 2–6 business days | — |
| Texas | ~10–13 business days (online) | Slow — plan ahead |
| New York | ~1–7 business days to form | + mandatory newspaper publication (~6 weeks, extra cost) |
Times are typical online-filing estimates and shift with state workload; verify current turnaround with your Secretary of State before committing to a hard deadline.
How the planner works backward
The steps run in a fixed order because each depends on the one before it. You can't get an EIN-linked bank account before the IRS issues the EIN, and the IRS wants an approved formation document before it issues one. So the chain is: clear the name (instant), file the Articles (same day), wait out state processing (the variable), pull the EIN (same-day online with an SSN or ITIN, ~1–2 weeks by fax without), sign the operating agreement (same day), and open the bank account (1–3 business days). Add those up from today and you get the earliest realistic "open for business" date; give the planner a target instead and it tells you whether that date clears the chain.
The two slow states to plan around
Texas online processing regularly runs about 10–13 business days (and can climb when volume is heavy), so a Texas LLC that needs to be operational in under two weeks needs real runway — the state offers expedited processing through Texas Express — Standard Expedited (about 2–3 business days, $50 per document, by mail or in person), plus same-day and next-day tiers requested by email or in person — but the standard online queue is slow, so build in lead time or plan to expedite. New York adds a legal publication requirement — notice in two newspapers within 120 days of formation plus a Certificate of Publication — that typically takes about six weeks and costs real money, especially in New York City counties. Neither blocks the LLC from existing once approved, but both change what "ready to operate" honestly means, which is why this planner flags them.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to form an LLC?
- The variable is state processing. Once your Articles are approved, the rest moves fast: an EIN is same-day online if you have a US SSN or ITIN, an operating agreement is same-day, and a business bank account is usually 1–3 business days. So the total is roughly your state's processing time plus about a week. In a fast state like Wyoming that can mean under a week end-to-end; in Texas, budget three to four weeks; in New York, longer once you account for the publication requirement.
- Which states are the slow ones?
- Texas routinely takes about 10–13 business days to process standard online filings, and New York adds a legal requirement to publish notice of your LLC in two newspapers within 120 days of formation — which runs six consecutive weeks of publication and carries its own cost (steep in New York City counties). Wyoming and California are currently among the fastest, often clearing in a day or a few days. Delaware is a special case: its standard processing runs roughly two weeks, but it sells same-day and 24-hour expedited service for an extra state fee — which is why it's often described as fast.
- Can I speed up state processing?
- Many states offer paid expedited processing (24-hour, same-day, or even 2-hour tiers) for an extra state fee. If a hard deadline is at risk, expediting the state filing is usually the single biggest lever, because state processing is the largest and least predictable block in the timeline. The other steps — EIN, operating agreement, bank — are already quick.
- Do I need my EIN before I can open a bank account?
- Yes. Banks require your approved formation document (from the state) and your EIN to open a business account, so those steps are sequential: state approval, then EIN, then bank. That ordering is why this planner works backward from your target date through each dependency rather than assuming everything happens at once.
- What if I don't have a US Social Security number?
- You can still get an EIN, but the fast same-day online path requires an SSN or ITIN for the responsible party. Without one, you generally apply by fax or mail using Form SS-4, which commonly takes about one to two weeks. This planner adds that time automatically when you tell it you don't have an SSN or ITIN.
This planner and guide are general information, not legal or tax advice. Processing times are estimates that change with state conditions. FilingDesk is not a law firm or an accounting firm — confirm current turnaround and deadlines with your Secretary of State, and talk to a professional about your specific situation.